Marc Jolley 
United Kingdom
Member since
3/20/2007
Registered Users
Posts: 14
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| 6/04/2008 10:59 AM |
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I've been asked to look after a SBS for a small company, which isn't an area I've ventured into before being a desktop guy, however I've managed ok up until recently.
The backups have started failing, although I can't find a reason in Veritas Backup Exec, and as a result the Exchange logs are building up (which I'm led to believe are otherwise purged during the backup process) and causing disk space to run extremely low.
How do I go about finding the cause of the failures? I've poked around in Veritas Backup Exec but I couldn't see anything obvious and I don't really know what I'm looking for.
Sorry if I've missed any vital information, but I don't know what you guys need to know so I'd be better at responding to specific questions.
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Nico Verheyen
Belgium
Member since
10/10/2006
Registered Users
Posts: 38
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| 6/04/2008 11:27 AM |
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Hello Marc,
We will need some extra information:
- what version of SBS server are you running?
- What version of Backup exec are you running? and is it fully updated?
- What backup hardware are you using?
- Can you please upload your last backup-job-log for a view?
- Can you make a screenshot of your backup selection and upload it?
That would help us help you.
Nico.
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Marc Jolley
United Kingdom
Member since
3/20/2007
Registered Users
Posts: 14
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| 6/04/2008 03:20 PM |
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Sorry for not replying sooner, I neglected to "Check this if you would like to be notified when someone replies" so I didn't know you had until just now!
- Windows 2000 Server - Build 2195: SP4
- Veritas Backup Exec for Windows Server - SBS Suite - Version 9.00 REv. 4454 - it is not up to date (6 updates available)
- Built-in Dell DLT 64k tape drive (PV-110T-DLT-VS80)
- Job Log BEX01937_xml.htm
- Backup_Selections.png
Hopefully this is what you meant... I wasn't 100% sure about the SBS version or backup selections.
I didn't realise you could update Backup Exec like that - I've never looked before - presumably I should be downloading and installing each update?
Also, I hadn't previously noticed the job log clearly stating the reason for failure being "Canceled by service shutdown" - I don't know how I missed that, but that's not to say I don't still need help in finding the cause for that...
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Nico Verheyen
Belgium
Member since
10/10/2006
Registered Users
Posts: 38
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| 6/04/2008 03:42 PM |
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Ok, dont update your veritas for now. do it when you resolved the isue.
I cant see the total error log on the file you uploaded. Can you tell me what service is not running? Open services.msc sort on 'startup type' and tell me the names of all the servers that are not started and have the 'startup type'='automatic'.
go to your backup exec console and restart the services using 'tools' -> 'services'.
After the restart try doing a drive inventory (make sure a tape is inserted).
if the inventory fails, pls provide me the error.
if inventory works, try your backup again and provide me the error if any.
further more, i dont see any exchange mailboxes selected in your selection list. so you make a backup of the raw database files. I advice you to also select:
- 'microsoft information store'
- 'microsoft exchange mailboxes'
- 'microsoft exchange public folders'
that way you can more easely recover from a broken exchange DB.
good luck,
N. |
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Marc Jolley
United Kingdom
Member since
3/20/2007
Registered Users
Posts: 14
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| 6/04/2008 04:08 PM |
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You can't see the error log? That's strange, it's just a hyperlink to the file's location on my site. Here's the full path;
I set the target to "New Window" before, so I haven't this time in case it was getting blocked by a popup blocker.
There are two automatic services not running;
- Systems Management Data Manager
- Routing and Remote Access
I have gone to Tools à Backup Exec Services... highlighted the server and clicked "Stop all services" which produced the following;
Reconfiguration Status
Processing services
Stop services on server: SERVER
Stopping ExecView Communications Module(ECM) on SERVER.
The service ExecView Communications Module(ECM) on SERVER is already stopped.
Stopping Backup Exec Agent Browser on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Agent Browser has been stopped on SERVER.
Stopping Backup Exec Job Engine on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Job Engine has been stopped on SERVER.
Stopping Backup Exec Server on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Server has been stopped on SERVER.
Stopping Backup Exec Device & Media Service on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Device & Media Service has been stopped on SERVER.
Stopping Backup Exec Remote Agent for Windows Servers on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Remote Agent for Windows Servers has been stopped on SERVER.
Stopping Backup Exec Naming Service on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Naming Service has been stopped on SERVER.
Stop services on server SERVER completed.
Processing services completed!
I then clicked "Start all services" which produced the following;
Reconfiguration Status
Processing services
Start services on server: SERVER
Starting Backup Exec Naming Service on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Naming Service has been started on SERVER.
Starting Backup Exec Remote Agent for Windows Servers on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Remote Agent for Windows Servers has been started on SERVER.
Starting Backup Exec Device & Media Service on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Device & Media Service has been started on SERVER.
Starting Backup Exec Server on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Server has been started on SERVER.
Starting Backup Exec Job Engine on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Job Engine has been started on SERVER.
Starting Backup Exec Agent Browser on SERVER.
The service Backup Exec Agent Browser has been started on SERVER.
Starting ExecView Communications Module(ECM) on SERVER.
The service ExecView Communications Module(ECM) has been started on SERVER.
Start services on server SERVER completed.
Processing services completed!
The drive inventory completed successfully after 15 seconds.
A backup is now scheduled for tonight at 22:30 - should I just wait and allow that to run, or should I force it to run now (if so, how)?
Thanks for all your help so far, I already feel like we're getting somewhere...  |
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Nico Verheyen
Belgium
Member since
10/10/2006
Registered Users
Posts: 38
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| 6/04/2008 04:33 PM |
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dont get your hopes up yet We only checked if the services worked and if the backup device is working.
try making a new backup job and backup a few files from c:\. Look for about 50 megs.
about the log. Normaly if i click on the '+' sign before 'errors' the error log should unfold. but its ok for now. If you get an error on the backup pls try to provide us the detailed error in that section. If you want to gain time, you can start looking on the symantec site for details about that error as i will not be able to reply for about 15 hours now. |
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Marc Jolley
United Kingdom
Member since
3/20/2007
Registered Users
Posts: 14
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| 6/04/2008 04:58 PM |
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Well I thought where it said "The service ExecView Communications Module(ECM) on SERVER is already stopped" that may have highlighted a problem, I don't know...
That's still odd about the log, it works fine for me, I can expand and collapse all sections with no problems. What happens if you click the Expand All/Collapse All buttons? I can upload a *.txt version of the log if that would be better? |
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Nico Verheyen
Belgium
Member since
10/10/2006
Registered Users
Posts: 38
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| 6/04/2008 05:18 PM |
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you are right. I use firefox as my default browser, and in firefox the button doesn't work. my bad. IE shows me the details.
can you find anything in the eventlog about the service stopping?
anyway, checking the backup log, i see that the backup ran fine. Even the verify was ok, but something went wrong after the verify. Verry strange.
chances are that future backups will run fine though.
about the updates i mentioned earlyer. There are known hacks that integrate into backup exec 9 and convert your server into an online FTP and irc file server. So I advice you to download and install the updates after you succesfully made a new backup (after changing your backup job selection for your exchange mailboxes). |
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Marc Jolley
United Kingdom
Member since
3/20/2007
Registered Users
Posts: 14
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| 6/05/2008 10:58 AM |
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Nothing in Event Viewer about the ExecView Communications Module(ECM) service, however the startup type is set to "Manual" - should it be automatic? It's running now though, since we manually restarted them all from within Backup Exec.
Last night's backup is still running some 11½ hours later.. surely that's not right? It's sitting at 99% which is all too familiar - the other jobs sat at 99% for days before finally failing, so I expect this to do the same. |
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Nico Verheyen
Belgium
Member since
10/10/2006
Registered Users
Posts: 38
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| 6/05/2008 01:40 PM |
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indeed, looks like there's still a problem.
anyway. Put that service on automatic.
Try installing all veritas updates available, and try the backup again. What happend with a 50meg backup, did that work?
Also, add an automatic cancelation to your backup job so it cancels automaticaly before thext job runs. Its better for it to fail then to interfere with other jobs.
N. |
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Marc Jolley
United Kingdom
Member since
3/20/2007
Registered Users
Posts: 14
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| 6/05/2008 02:25 PM |
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Ok, I've changed the service to startup automatically from now on. I didn't get the chance to try a 50meg backup yesterday - I'll try that today once I've completed the updates. Hopefully it won't want any reboots... this is obviously a live server.
The trouble with cancelling one of these jobs is it just seems to sit on "Cancel pending" just a long as it would take to fail. The only way I managed to kill the last one when we restarted the services. Would automatic cancellation suffer from the same problem? |
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Nico Verheyen
Belgium
Member since
10/10/2006
Registered Users
Posts: 38
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| 6/05/2008 03:19 PM |
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I'm almost certain it wil require a reboot. Read the update information on the veritas site itself to be sure.
about the backupjob not stopping. Its worthless to wait for it. Just restart the backup exec services to force the job to stop.
If a 50MB job works, then the source of the problem could be a certain file or item in the backup selections. If it doesn't, then its probably backup exec itself that's faulty.
How I would go forth with this problem:
-> restart all services and make sure no job is running.
-> apply ALL updates
-> look for possible new veritas drivers for the backup device (on veritas site)
-> reboot if the updates haven't asked you to
-> retry backup.
Offcourse you need to plan downtime for this. to risky to do this while users are using it. |
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Marc Jolley
United Kingdom
Member since
3/20/2007
Registered Users
Posts: 14
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| 6/05/2008 03:22 PM |
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Indeed - that's one thing working for a large company with strict change control has taught me.
Ok, well I'm armed with plenty of info and things to try now - so many thanks for your help so far.
I'll give all that a go and I'll be sure to come back to let you know how it went!
Thanks again. |
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